(11 March 2024, Hong Kong) Television Broadcasts Limited (“TVB”, stock code: 00511.HK) and Youku, a large online video platform under the Alibaba Group, have achieved significant success across multiple projects since signing a cooperation framework agreement worth RMB700 million last year. To further strengthen the collaboration, the TVB Group (“the Group”) announced today the signing of a comprehensive cooperation framework agreement with Youku.

Under the previous agreement, the Group’s collaboration with Youku on the drama The QUEEN Of News (新聞女王) became a market sensation in mainland China and Hong Kong, garnering widespread acclaim both online and offline.  The series’ unique and compelling characters, coupled with its captivating storytelling, propelled the popularity of Hong Kong dramas to new heights in the mainland market.  The QUEEN Of News achieved exceptional viewership ratings, maintaining its position as the highest-rated programme for five consecutive weeks. It was also the most searched drama series on Google in Hong Kong that year, while enjoying high pre-order rates, click-through rates, and audience engagement on the Youku platform.  Other projects under the cooperation agreement, such as Forensic Heroes VI: Redemption (法證先鋒VI 倖存者的救贖) and Darkside Of The Moon (黑色月光), are currently in the post-production stage and are expected to be  broadcasted in the second half of this year, while The Queen Of Castle (巨塔之后) is scheduled to begin filming in April. The other three dramas, Themis (正義女神Themis), I Only Live Twice (模仿人生) and Mrs. Revenge (夫妻的博弈), will commence filming in the second half of 2024. Through these projects, we will continue to deliver high-quality programmes to meet the diverse demands of the market and audience.

Building on the tremendous success of The QUEEN Of News, we are delighted to announce today that our collaboration with Youku has reached a new milestone, as we expand and deepen our existing partnership through the signing of a comprehensive cooperation framework agreement.  In addition to the existing collaboration, we will further collaborate on three drama series projects, including the highly anticipated sequel to The QUEEN Of News, titled The QUEEN Of News 2.  We expect The QUEEN Of News 2 to commence filming early next year.  Furthermore, we will deepen our cooperation in intellectual property monetisation, facilitating advertising and commercial opportunities in mainland China and Hong Kong. This includes product placements and other innovative business models, enabling advertising clients to expand their reach to broader regional markets and the global Chinese community.

This intensified cooperation plan not only demonstrates the Group’s and Youku’s firm commitment to expanding the entertainment market in China and globally but also showcases our strategic deployment to meet the growing demand for entertainment content in China.